Jack in Martinique hot seat

FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner was put in the hot seat in Martinique on Saturday by the media there as they spoke out against FIFA and the Caribbean Football Union for not making sufficient efforts to have Martinique become a full member of the world governing body. Warner was alongside former French star Michel Platini who arrived in Martinique on Friday night to represent an ill President Sepp Blatter at the CFU Congress scheduled for December . Platini was met on arrival by Warner;  President of the Martinique Football League (FL), Alain Rapon and several other dignitaries including those from the Government there.

The major question was why Martinique, though being among the top nations in the CFU, are not allowed to participate in World Cup qualification campaigns. The media complained that despite Martinique being a powerhouse in the CFU, they still could not participate in the FIFA World Cup competition and, moreover, that they are losing their best players to France. Among them are France and Arsenal start Thierry Henry, Thuram, Witford and several others) and when the players are not lost to France, they are not available to represent Martinique due to the demands of their clubs. Platini and Warner were at pains to explain that Martinique is a province of France and yet was enjoying the best of all worlds by such as receiving  all financial and other benefits from France without making any contributions of their own.

Warner said: “Other than Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique along with Guadeloupe and Cayenne have the best facilities in the Caribbean and are allowed to participate in all Caribbean Football Union competitions while their officials are also used.” Warner added that they have the full support of the CFU to participate in future Pan American Games and will benefit from the FIFA Goal Project in 2004. He also promised during the conference to return to Martinique with Blatter in 2004. Warner and Platini left for the Cayman Islands via  private plane on Saturday afternoon for the inauguration of the Goal Project there and will do the same in St Lucia over the next couple days. They then return to Martinique today for the CFU Executive Committee Congress which will be followed by Martinique’s Football League’s  50th anniversary celebrations of which the highlight will be a friendly international between Martinique and Canada.